Category: Album Reviews

Featured Band: Cry To the Blind

Walt Disney did it. William Shakespeare did too. It’s taking the metal of another one’s work, and spinning it into your own gold. It’s the alchemy of the creative mind. It’s declaring the statement, “I can take your idea, and make it better.” Cry to the Blind, a five-piece heavy rock band out of Rochester, NY, declared such a statement last month after walking into Oblivion Studios to record an already established hit. One month and more than 90,000 YouTube views later, the band has itself, what a growing contingent of fans and followers think, is gold.

“The past month or so has been pretty weird,” said Jon Lamanna, the band’s lead singer. Back in December, the band loaded up a studio video of their recording of Miley Cyrus’ mega-hit, Wrecking Ball. The reception to their hard rock version has been nothing short of exceptional, first leading to play time on local radio stations, and precipitating to national attention on Nikki Sixx’s syndicated show, and now satellite radio. It wasn’t long before they obtained mechanical rights from the copyright owner to allow them to perform and sell their version of the song.

“The energy and the excitement level at our shows, and online, are at a level I’ve never seen before. People just seem like they really believe in us now.”

It’s really inspiring to see.”

Rochester’s Cry to the Blind is basking in the glow of newly found attention. (Photo Credit: CTTB/Facebook)

The band has released three CDs independently since 2009. They are a heavy, modern rock band, who market themselves as a “therapeutic release” for their fans. They like to promote a “positive spin on the negative energy that surrounds us every day,” as stated on their Facebook page.

Jon explained that the inspiration to record the song came from a simple turn of his car’s radio dial, as he started his commute to work one November morning.

“The first time I heard the song, I thought it would make a great rock song. We’ve never done a cover. [This was] just a random idea. I texted Jesse (Maty), our guitar player, and said, ‘hey, have you heard that Miley Cyrus song “Wrecking Ball? I think it would be awesome as a rock song.’ He was like, ‘yeah, why not? Let’s give it a shot.’ He wasn’t into it as much as I was. But, when I polled the other guys in the band, they were really excited about it. .. As soon as we started rehearsing it, it sounded phenomenal.”

They changed up the second verse to make it rhythmic and heavy, which was (the band’s drummer), Jay Talarico’s idea. Together with Ryan Mcfaul on guitars and Kory Maclauchlan on bass, Jon said, “I think that’s what makes the song stand out.”

Since Cyrus released the song last August, Wrecking Ball has topped the pop charts in 13 different countries, including the United States. There have been a number of different cover versions released, including that from Rumer Willis, the 25-year-old daughter of actors Demi Moore and Bruce Willis.

Today, up to 40 radio stations, including Sirius Octane, is playing their song, and the positive feedback just keeps building. Jon said that the band has yet to be signed by a label; however, he says people who they’ve spoken to in the past, are coming back to talk.

“[We’re] pretty confident that things are going to continue to snowball in a good direction for us.”

Cry to the Blind play next at The Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY on Saturday, February 15.

You can view their breakthrough video here: http://youtu.be/diL0I17RlCk

For more information, visit them on their Facebook or their website at www.Crytotheblind.com.

January 31, 2014
Hearing Aide: Hospitality “Trouble”

As music evolves and today’s artists adapt to an unlimited reserve of influence, the lines of traditional genre labeling become increasingly blurred. Hospitality’s sophomore album, Trouble, demonstrates this marriage of distinct sounds as well as any contemporary indie release in the past year.

The Brooklyn-based trio dropped their first album in 2012, displaying a style of educated twee pop. Frontwoman Amber Papini’s experience as a student at Yale contributes to the band’s quirky multi-genre sound; her sharp lyricism in the recently released, Trouble, full of imagery and scenic narratives, is a progression from the witty writing inherent in Hospitality’s self-titled debut.

Trouble’s preeminent feature, however, is the diversity found throughout its ten tracks. In the opening “Nightingale” alone, Papini and company transition from a Black Keys Thickfreakness-era guitar section to an ethereally reverbed-out interlude featuring a harp/bass combination before concluding with a massive synth-driven jam.

The album spans a variety of musical stylings, and in the process it covers a range of time periods. Trouble’s first single, “I Miss Your Bones” exemplifies the simplicity of early indie rock’s guitar/bass/drum lineup. The track is as bare as the bones that Papini’s character can’t wait to see again, yet its repeated tempo changes and its spirited instrumentation create a collective sound as full as “Nightingale”’s epic outro.

“Inauguration” follows “I Miss Your Bones,” jumping ahead a few decades to present day’s synth-focused rock music. Papini offers phrases that are interrupted by pulsing, dissonant keys. Although the range in her vocals remain essentially the same throughout the entirety of the album, the band makes up for it with their consistently diverse arrangements.

Amongst all of the varying musical complexities of the album, piano appearances remain one of Trouble’s most prevalent consistencies. The piano’s incorporation seems most obvious in the track “Sullivan,” a slow moving ballad where distant keystrokes accompany a set of spread out guitar chords. The most unpredictable piano part comes in the album’s eighth track, “Last Words.” A wavering synth line, reminiscent of a fundamentally toned-down dubstep phrase opens the track. It’s met with a piano progression and an angelic backing vocal to create a beautifully anthemic song.

The album closes with what feels like the only musical space it hasn’t already covered. An acoustic cut exhibiting the candor of Papini and her guitar concludes thirty-six minutes of collected influences.

Trouble is the work of experience and understanding; it’s the product of Hospitality’s two-year evolution since their debut.

Key Tracks: I Miss Your Bones, Inauguration, Last Words

January 29, 2014
Hearing Aide: The Motet’s Self-Titled Album

Fans have been patiently waiting for the new Motet album since last September when they expressed their excitement for it at The Catskill Chill Music Festival.

The wait is over and it was well worth it. The nine-piece funk band hailing from Boulder, Colorado has released their 7th album, The Motet, combining different layers of funk with disco, jazz and electronica making for an entertaining listen to get any party started. An album by any other name would still be as freaking sweet. Dave Watts, drummer and founder of The Motet said in an interview with The Marquee, “We decided just to call it The Motet. It’s kind of like a new beginning – like our debut CD,” citing lineup stability as the determining factor in the the title. The album is just under an hour long, with 55 glorious minutes of Motet music that showcases their growth as individuals and as an unstoppable funk machine in the span of nine tracks.

“Like We Own It” has electrifying keys from Joey Porter that gets you pumped up and ready to groove hard on that dance floor like it’s the 1980s. “123” has a standout bass rhythm that brings the funk with the horn section of Gabe Mervine on Trumpet and Matt Pitts on Tenor Sax kicking it to high gear and lyrics about the beauty of partying in their home state of CO. “Rynodub” is an all instrumental song with reggae flair and an eerie intergalactic vibe throughout the song with constant brass buildups and echoing percussion from Motet founder and leader, Dave Watts. “Closed Mouth Don’t get Fed” an upbeat melody with a strong and simple message that if you keep your mouth, ears and mind closed, you will not grow. Music is nourishing. Feed yourself right with The Motet.

“Extraordinary High” has a light dash of disco with a swirling groove of the soulful Kim Dawson on vocals. “Rich In People” is a sing along anthem with the in sync harmonies of rebellion lead by Jans Ingber, bizarre key loops and rocking guitar riffs from Ryan Jalbert and Dan Schwindt. “The Fountain” has a dirty bass groove from Garrett Sayers that flows throughout the all instrumental track with the help of a solid rhythm with haunting electronic twists. The feel good jam of “Knock It Down” takes a turn into a dark funk jam with thrilling and fading echoes. The album ends with “Keep On Don’t Stoppin” a back and forth game of tag between every instrument, where each musician has outbursts that take it up a notch with great timing resulting in a groovy climactic combo along with the fun loving vocoder/talkbox.

Key Tracks: Like We Own It, Rynodub, Keep on Don’t Stoppin

The album is available for free stream on Soundcloud and you can download some of their live performances for free on their website. Stay up to date with The Motet on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t miss The Motet when they head to Brooklyn Bowl in NYC on April 4th.

January 28, 2014
Hearing Aide: Hard Working Americans Self-Titled Debut Album
Hard Working Americans, a new collective of musicians out of Nashville, TN, released their self-titled debut this week on Melvin Records/Thirty Tigers. Led by singer-songwriter Todd Snider, the band captures 11 songs written by notable country, blues, and folk-rock musicians and reinvents them as their own. Joining Snider is an all-star group of like-minded individuals representing a spectrum of styles: Dave Schools – bass (Widespread Panic), Neal Casal – guitar (The Chris Robinson Brotherhood), Chad Staehly – keys (Great American Taxi), and Duane Trucks – drums (Col. Bruce Hampton’s School of Music and of the Trucks family lineage).

Hard Working Americans is a smart and well planned selection of songs for an album intended to capture the spirit of what the band’s name suggests. This album is reminiscent of Johnny Winter’s 2011 comeback release Roots where Johnny covers blues standards with an all-star lineup of guest musicians varying between each song.

The performance on six of the tracks retain much of the feel and emotion of the original performances, though the sound is often more robust with added instrumentation. The other five tracks are significantly reworked making Hard Working Americans’ performance of them their own.

“Blackland Farmer” is electrified from an acoustic country tune to one with a straight-ahead blues feel while retaining some of those country elements on slide guitar. A similar rework was done on “The Mountain Song” though retaining less of the original country version. “Stomp and Holler” is slowed down slightly from the rockabilly style of the original with a harmonica solo taking the lead rather than guitar. “Straight To Hell” is performed in a way that gives it much more emotion than the original recording, though both versions are equally appealing in their own ways. “Run A Mile” is much like the original; however a fun twist is added mid song with a brief hard hitting interlude before returning back to its starting pace.

Hard Working Americans is an enjoyable, well produced album to listen to from start to finish. A notable feature of the album is the sequencing of the songs which works to tell a story of the blue collar American. As a debut cover album, Hard Working Americans has established the band as a capable new collective of musicians with a solid chemistry. Though the band does not have original material recorded yet it is anticipated that, given the talent of the band, it would be well received by music fans. Hard Working Americans is touring in support of their debut album and it will be interesting to see what what they bring to the stage aside from this album.

Track Listing: (Original performer in parenthesis)
1. Blackland Farmer (Elizabeth Cook)
2. Another Train (Will Kimbrough)
3. Down To The Well (Kevin Gordon & Lucinda Williams)
4. The Mountain Song (Kieran Kane, Chad Jeffers, Sean Locke)
5. Stomp and Holler (Hayes Carll)
6. Straight To Hell (Drivin’ N’ Cryin’)
7. Welfare Music (The Bottle Rockets)
8. Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man) (Randy Newman)
9. Run A Mile (BR5-49)
10. I Don’t Have A Gun (Will Kimbrough & Tommy Womack)
11. Wrecking Ball (David Rawlings & Gillian Welch)
Key Tracks: Stomp and Holler, Straight To Hell, Run A Mile

Find out more about Hard Working Americans and details on how to get the album on their website and on Facebook.
January 27, 2014
Hearing Aide: Blue Falcon “First Flight”

John Viviani’s latest incarnation is Blue Falcon, the Rochester guitarist/singer/songwriter teams with drummer/vocalist Devon Trammel and bassist/vocalist Ben Stephanus. First Flight, their debut EP was released last August and continues to garner critical acclaim across the Northeast, and here’s some more!

After reviewing Filthy Funk for this publication I knew I’d keep track of what John was up to musically, I couldn’t have asked for a better direction for him to take as he spun it right into my wheelhouse. A product of the irrepressible Rochester scene, John’s place as a guitarist is already well documented, Devon and Ben are held to the same high expectations and they don’t disappoint for a moment here. Add producer and engineer to John’s credits along with the able hands and ears of Nick Murray on the mix, mastering by Brian Moore at Redbooth Recording.

“Slow Drag” is a great choice as opener with each instrumentalist having space to put an initial signature on the EP, from John’s crunchy rhythm line and outro solo, to Devon and Ben holding tight to, then whipping the reigns, layer on the vocals and “Slow Drag” comes out of the gate fast. They ease in some funk on “Tellin’ Lies” while holding to the theme of pop/rock until they break out into almost a surf-rock break under John’s solo. The recurring vocal layering is thick and biting, quite the contrast from the sweetness most executions like this get. They take a collective swipe at the bane of American life, entitlement, in “Growing Up American”. Machine gun lyrical bites taken from daily existence, forced along by an STP-like aural assault and the hypnotic line, “Growin’ up American, Thinkin’ you are better than, Growin’ up American”. “Internet Celebrity” thematically follows, reaching deep into the pop-rock groove, right down to the low-fi mix, sugary vocals and killer chorus, almost sounds Bram Tchaikovsky-ish. I really think they should have credited Elvis a little on the jacket, but the adulation is obvious and really well-done. The closer, “See Ya Self” wraps it up cleanly and leaves this listener waiting for the next cut.

I hear a little familiar harmonization from The Zombies latest release, specifically “If There Was Any Other Way”, I’m sure there’s a name for it, but I’m a listener, not a musician. Extremely high praise to Blue Falcon for that, there’s always something comforting about familiarity, it makes the music accessible on another level. Hopefully the band’s name isn’t derived from some of the definitions available, but if it did, it was for the better! Check them out at the link below and see them live when you can, rock isn’t dead quite yet.

You can find Blue Falcon on Bandcamp and Facebook.

Key Tracks: Growing Up American, Internet Celebrity

January 24, 2014
Hearing Aide: Waydown Wailers “State of the Union”

Woodstock Records’ new release of the Waydown Wailers and their debut album State of the Union is sure to be a successful premier for the new band. Waydown Wailers are a new mix of old sounds, bringing together classic rock and the blues with a jamband twist. Similar to other bands produced under the Woodstock Records label, the Wailers consists of soothing layered instrumentals paired with lyrics that some might call ‘Freedom Music.’ The band seems to have a variety of influences that range from the Grateful Dead to AC/DC, with music having anything from soft folk intros to twangy country guitar.

The Upstate New York band is a four man crew consisting of brothers Christian and Dave Parker on rhythm and lead guitar, Conner Pelkey playing bass, and Michael “Scruffy” Scriminger on drums. Dave Parker is the lead singer and songwriter of the group and his brother Christian says “Waydown Wailers wouldn’t have the same effect without my brother’s great ability to take a song and give it life.” The album was producer by Aaron Hurwitz, better known as Professor Louie of Professor Louie and the Crowmatix, veterans of Woodstock Records.

The title track off the Waydown Wailers album starts with a classic Rock & Roll guitar riff joined by a driving rhythm section. “State of the Union” is exactly what it sounds like, a song about the current state of affairs in our country and the truth behind the politicians that run it. This is a freedom song from a past era, but the message is as relevant now than ever before. “The Man” is another story about the heartlessness of big government with a big guitar solo section that finishes the song in extremely energetic fashion and compensates for vocals that leave something to be desired. The closing song “My Girl”, is one of the highlights, from the debut album, although the vocals could be stronger, but the Jam-Rock sound the song provides is outstanding. Filled with funky bass and psychedelic guitar solos that sound like they belong in the festival scene, “My Girl”, is a perfect finish to a strong first album.

Key Tracks: State of the Union, The Man, My Girl

The Waydown Wailers new album can be found on iTunes and Amazon. You can follow or contact the band themselves through their website, Facebook and Twitter.

January 15, 2014
Iced Earth’s Plagues of Babylon out the 21st

With Iced Earth‘s Plagues of Babylon screaming in my ears, I was taken back in time to my cousins’ bedroom, lying underneath posters of muscle cars and Heather Thomas as we listened to tape cassettes of Megadeth and Dio.

Iced Earth’s Plagues of Babylon is scheduled for release next Tuesday, Jan. 21st. (Photo Credit: Century Media)

Plagues of Babylon is scheduled for release on Tuesday, January 21st, and it will mark the band’s 11th studio album since forming in 1985. (Century Media announced that 500 hand-numbered, bootleg copies of the LP are available today, Jan. 14 at select record stores.) Guitarist and song writer, Jon Schaffer, has been with the band since the very beginning, and that early day influence is ever-present in the music.

Today, metal plays in an underground environment and has more in common with college radio than Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 Countdown. But, speak to anyone in heavy metal, and he or she is likely to reminisce over the heyday of the 80s and early 90s, when the genre had a voice on MTV, and shared play time across the nation’s Top 40 stations. Iced Earth retains the very signature of what made the sound so popular back then: Melodic lyrics, precision guitar play, epic solos – all of which seem to be forgotten in today’s core mentality.

Plagues of Babylon is the follow up to the band’s 2011 album Dystopia, and is the first to feature both bassist Luke Appleton and drummer Raphael Saini.

Saini puts on a textbook display of how to play drums, which his abilities seem to shine the most on the CD’s fifth track, “Resistance”, where the song transitions between classic, military marching style to a full-out, heavy metal solo.

Frontman Stu Block returns as the band’s lead vocalist, after making his debut under Dystopia. His succinct delivery of each lyric, with an embellishment you’d come to recognize, perfectly compliments the overall sound of the band.

As mentioned before, Iced Earth has a sound that now contrasts with the contemporary scene, and that is defined mainly due to the band’s two guitarists. Schaffer and Appleton do not thrash, but play precisely and cleanly. And, of course, I welcome the always appropriate guitar solo. “Cthulhu” (not to be confused with Metallica), was a quick favorite because of all these reasons.

Iced Earth has amassed a strong following over the nearly 30 years of their collective lives. Those souls are destined to purchase the album next week; however, for those of you not familiar, or are just getting into the music, you are obligated to listen. Whether you’re of Generation X or younger, Plagues of Babylon is the very definition of heavy metal.

Iced Earth is to launch a two-month, North American tour in April, along with Sabaton and Revamp; details are below.

APRIL:

04: Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection

05: Milwaukee, WI – The Rave

06: Chicago, IL – House Of Blues

07: Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

09: Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE

10: Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

11: Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom

12: Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall

14: Toronto, ONT – Phoenix Concert Theatre

15: Quebec City, QC – Imperial Theater

16: Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre

17: Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero

18: New York, NY – Best Buy Theater

19: Worcester, MA – The Palladium

21: West Springfield, VA – Empire

23: Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade

24: Orlando, FL – House Of Blues Orlando

25: Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution

26: Saint Petersburg, FL – State Theatre

28: Houston, TX – Scout Bar

29: Dallas, TX – Trees

MAY:

01: Tempe, AZ – Club Red

02: West Hollywood, CA – House Of Blues Sunset

03: San Francisco, CA – Slim’s

05: Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Concert House

06: Seattle, WA – El Corazon

07: Vancouver, BC – The Venue

09: Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room

10: Calgary, AB – Republik

11: Regina, SK – Riddell Centre

12: Winnipeg, MB – Park Theatre

14: Denver, CO – The Summit Music Hall

15: Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater

16: Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom

ICED EARTH online:

www.icedearth.com

facebook.com/officialicedearth

January 14, 2014
Hearing Aide: Aqueous ‘Live Nugs Volume 4’

Upon burning through all 73 minutes of the latest Live Nugs, there’s no doubt that these tracks are truly the headiest to date from Buffalo’s Aqueous. The Live Nugs series has been an avenue for the band to release a small but jam-packed collection of live original songs that are hand-picked from recent shows. Live Nugs Volume 4 was released on New Year’s Eve as the band played their 128th and final show of 2013 at The Crooked I in Erie, PA. The album consists of five tracks that were recorded during the band’s Fall tour and include selections from The Crooked I, The Shaskeen in Manchester, NH and The Saloon in Charlotte, NC. The time spent on the road has clearly paid off as the compilation is the tightest they’ve sounded and features some deep jams.

The album fades in with “Strange Times” from The Crooked I, beginning just as one of their shows might. A staple in their live sets, the song delivers immediately with the first jam. Employing the use of various effects, guitarists Mike Gantzer and David Loss build a spacey soundscape before pushing a heavy swell that has come to define their live shows. As it dies out, bassist Evan McPhaden fights a staccato guitar attack with some slap and pop of his own. Evans bass work throughout the album in general seems to provide a solid foundation for both guitarists to build on. His ability to accent and add to the overall rhythm that Nick Sonricker lays down on drums is a direct result of the countless hours they’ve played together now. The more you listen to this band, the more you realize why they’re winning over fans as quick as they are. Their sound is uniquely their own and they’re clearly not afraid to embrace it.

The opening jam to “All In” is raw and reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine’s musical energy. After a minute and a half of forceful riffing, the song is reeled in by a sly guitar riff. The band manipulates the tempo of their songs so well and can completely pull the rug out from underneath you at the drop of a hat. Right around the 4:20 mark, the band runs into a thick patch of haze when the music progresses into a slow jam driven by Sonricker’s steady beat. As they carry it right through the next few minutes of the song, we hear Loss in the front of the mix on keyboard. The backing chords he provides under Gantzer’s captivating guitar solo is exactly why these two fit so well together; they’re always playing in perfect complement to one another. Gantzer’s solo starts around the twelve and a half-minute mark and is easily my favorite of the album. The two minutes are colored beautifully with a driving attack that somehow pushes faster and harder after the first minute in. The song’s final two minutes are wrapped up with a heavy, progressive rock style riffing that blazes forward in a flurry of notes before being stopped dead in its tracks.

Gantzer’s true potential though is fully realized and experienced on “Complex.” He first takes lead over a mulling rhythm around six minutes in, pulling notes that send you soaring. He almost let’s go of the wheel completely, but pulls back for one last build up. As the song gets closer to the end, the overlapping tones combine for a rich texture and push the anticipation to the limit for the best ending on the album. The final three minutes of the song are blissfully perfect and almost make you lose yourself enough to feel like you’re hearing it live. We’ll all be paying quite a bit more to see these guys in the future if they keep finding these types of grooves to tear apart.

This album, both collectively and on the individual song level, showcases an incredible vision that the guys in Aqueous have grown to embrace. They might’ve had to make some sacrifices to be out on the road as much as they were, but it’s really paid off as you can hear how much they’ve matured as musicians since the previous Live Nugs. This year is sure to be a fruitful one as they continue to build on the momentum they established last year. The band was the top pick of Upstate’s Best Bands on the Rise in 2013 for a reason, and they’ll only continue that ascent with the drive that has gotten them where they are today. As the last notes ring out, I’m left with a feeling that maybe one day we’ll look back on this album as a major turning point in the band’s history. Only time will tell.

Key Tracks: All In, Complex

Buy the new album now at the Aqueous Bandcamp page.

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January 14, 2014